An expositio[n] upon the two epistles of the apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians…An expositio[n] vpon the two epistles of the apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians…

Herein standeth the comfort of Christian religion. Were it not for the hope of the second life, the godly in this world were in worse case than the dumb and brute beasts. When Christ appointed his Disciples to go and preach, he said, I send you as sheep in the middest of wolves, They will scourge you, you shall be hated of all men. As the Gospel ⟨p. 158⟩increased in any place, these words were fulfilled. The godly were put to death for the name of Christ. The father did see his son stain before his face, and the son his father cruelly tormented. Hence grew great mourning & heaviness. Oh said they, he was a reverend sage father: oh he was a wise young man, learned, zealous, and a great stay in the Church. Why would God take him before his time? there is not now any one left, whom we may behold, or hear, or follow. We are left comfortless, and without hope. After this sort it is likely the Thessalonians mourned, when they beheld the persecution of the Church of God among them. Herein they grew towards mistrust, and to be like the heathen, which had no hope. Saint Paul thought good to reform this error. And because this abuse grew of ignorance, for that they knew not the happy estate of such which die in the Lord: he sayeth, I would not have you ignorant, what is become of them, and what GOD hath done for them. He hath tried them, as gold, and hath made them worthy for himself. Therefore you ought rather to rejoice, there is no cause at all of mourning. When Christ saw his disciples heavy and sad because of his departure, he said, If ye loved me, ye would ⟨p. 159⟩¹verily rejoice, because I said, I go to the father: for my father is greater than I. I shall sit at the right hand of my father in glory, then shall every knee bow unto me, and every tongue shall confess my greatness. Therefore if ye loved me, you would rejoice in my behalf. It is ignorance that maketh you heavy, because you know not whither I go.

Herein standeth the comfort of Christian religion. Were it not for the hope of the seconde life, the godly in this worlde were in worse case than the dumbe and brute beastes. When Christ appointed his Disciples to goe and preach, hée sayde, I sende you as sheepe in the middest of wolues, They will scourge you, you shall bée hated of al men. As the Gospel ⟨p. 158⟩